


A Warrior's Comfort

by TrashqueenofAngmar91



Series: Power Couple [2]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: AU, Cell has a lack of table manners, Cell is a dick but he's your dick, Established Relationship, F/M, Married Life, Reader is a human, Reader is a woman, Redeemed Cell, Takes place after the Battle of Gods arc, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-22 23:12:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11977068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashqueenofAngmar91/pseuds/TrashqueenofAngmar91
Summary: The bio-android returns home after a particularly draining spar with Goku. This spurs you into action and to tend to him.Sequel to "Symbiosis".





	A Warrior's Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> So I was in the mood for some fluffy Cell stuff. Because why not? I know that using "fluff" and "Cell" together in the same sentence is an most likely an oxymoron but whatever LOL. It was either this or post some smut and frankly I don't think I could do that justice so that's being put off.
> 
> Nothing particular to note in this one! Hopefully you guys enjoy it!

A Warrior's Comfort

At first, you didn't hear the banging against the door. In fact, you thought you might've been hearing things. You happened to be running the vacuum cleaner and getting some domestic chores done while your significant other was out of the house for a good, few hours. He really didn't have a solid concept when it came down to even basic homemaking but then again, he wasn't particularly designed for such a task either. When he was around, he often got in the way or intentionally made the work harder just to tease you for shits and giggles.

But when the second bang against the door rang out and you heard it, you squealed. You turned the sweeper off and set it aside before hurrying over to the door. You paused once you got there, wondering if maybe some burglar was trying to break in. For a few seconds, you stalled before clearing your throat and raised the volume of your face.

"Who is it?" you asked, making sure to sound serious and confident. If this was someone looking for trouble, you were going to be sure to repay it back to them.

"Open the damn door, please..!"

You blinked as your eyes widened when you recognized that voice instantly. Without any further delay, you unlocked the door and swung it open.

Cell had been previously leaning against the door heavily and once you opened it up, he collapsed forward onto the floor. You were filled with fright and disbelief upon seeing him like this and a million, fevered thoughts ran through your head at once. His entire body was smeared with his own blood and he was dusty and dirty all over to boot. Even the color of his armor appeared dull and sallow and he looked as limp as a wet noodle.

What in the name of God did he get himself into now?

You knelt down and tried your best to get him to stand up but he didn't make any effort to assist you either. You strained and struggled but he was rather heavy and that didn't help your case at all.

"Come on, you gotta make it to the couch at least!" you encouraged. "You're so heavy and I can't pick you up and carry you like a little kid!"

His answer was in the form of a low, resonating groan. Cell managed to force himself to stand up a few seconds later but you stood by him, helping to support his frame as he staggered over to the couch in the living room. You could feel that he had virtually no strength left and his energy was completely spent. It was more than likely he used what stamina he had to make it back to your house and was now running on pure willpower.

It felt like ten days but he eventually made it over to the couch. As soon as he got close enough, he collapsed onto it unceremoniously. You didn't even pay any mind that you cleaned the cushions and fluffed up the pillows. Your previous endeavors were wasted but that was the least of your concerns at the moment.

"What the Hell happened?!" you demanded.

"Training," the bio-android muttered.

With the way he looked, you thought you were reliving the fight he had with Majin Buu for a brief instant. It made you sick to recall the incident and whenever you remembered it, you always felt extremely anxious. Yet you knew the threat Buu wielded was no longer relevant. However, the mere memory of Cell's death was enough to make the blood in your veins turn to slush.

"You looked like you got into a fight at some mosh pit!" you exclaimed.

"I wanted to test that new form Goku acquired when he fought Beerus," he explained wearily. "I was so jealous and I thought my rage would've been enough. I told him to not hold back… I was no match." He growled and although he tried to clench his fists, he hardly had any energy to even do that. "I failed miserably!"

"You're not gonna be fighting or training anytime soon with the way you look. I've said it once and I'll say it again, you have to learn when to stop and take a break."

"You can't tell me what to do, woman!"

"You're in no position to argue with me. I think I could probably kick your ass right about now and that's saying a lot. Besides, I'm your wife so you should listen to me especially when you can't even walk over to the couch unassisted." Cell didn't even bother to argue with you further as he let out a laborious sigh and sprawled his form out the best he could. "Don't move from there, I'm going to clean you up a bit. You're covered in dirt and blood and you can't rest being so filthy."

You hustled away from his side and went to the kitchen. You grabbed a spare rag from the top of the kitchen table and then ran it under some warm water. For a few moments, you rinsed the rag thoroughly, wanting it to get moistened and comfortable enough for him.

After doing that, you hurried back to the living room and knelt down next to the couch. His eyes were closed as he was attempting to relax but you could see even doing something like that was an arduous task for him. You could tell his jaws were clenched and he looked as if he was quite uncomfortable.

Tenderly, you set the rag on his armor and began to wipe away all the grime on his body. You could tell he winced even at the gentle contact, giving away that everything hurt him and he was in awful shape. But as you kept the warm and wet rag on his armor, he seemed to adjust and settle to the sensation. Cell swallowed roughly but he allowed you to work in peace.

Although his armor seemed to be intact, he was still in a good amount of pain and was beyond exhausted. It was possible his muscles and his inner workings were damaged from the fight as well. If that was the case, he'd probably need a few days to fully recuperate. While it was true that he could heal himself insanely quickly, he needed to have the stamina to do so. Unfortunately for him, that was nonexistent.

You didn't realize how dirty he was until you were so close to him and actively wiping away all the blood and filth. In fact, you felt you should've brought a bucket to rinse the rag as needed. If Cell had the strength, you would've taken him out back and hosed him down just to make it easier for the both of you.

"I don't understand," he said in a shallow tone. "I beat him before. Now I can't achieve that feat again. What am I doing wrong?!"

"You might be pushing yourself too far and it's taking a toll on your body," you suggested. "You don't rest a lot, you know."

"I don't require much rest. I had a lot more stamina and energy whenever I absorbed Seventeen and Eighteen. I guess that since I don't have them anymore, I tire more easily."

"I forbid you to absorb Krillin's wife and her brother if that's what you're hinting to."

"Oh, please. There's no need for me to do so anyway. I've already achieved my perfect form so that's redundant."

"Look, don't rile yourself up. You're putting even more stress on your body and you don't need more of it. Let's not talk about that."

"But I can't stop… I must get better. No, I will get better." His eyes opened and he turned them to you. "There's no other choice. It's in my blood. It's who I am."

You nodded at him understandingly. You were well aware of that and you wouldn't deny him from wanting to go above and beyond. In fact, you encouraged it. But it was your belief that he pushed himself too much which contributed to his current frustrations and shortcomings. If he perhaps rested and cleared his thoughts instead of trucking along relentlessly and mercilessly, maybe he'd make some progress.

"He got that power from a stupid ritual," he continued. "I'd call that cheating. I'd never think Goku would resort to such a tactic."

"You got a lot of your power from turning people into soup and absorbing two androids," you reminded him.

"Shut it, you know things are different now! Now I actively work for my power!"

"Okay, I'll stop. The last thing you need is to get all worked up and upset."

Cell growled and shut his eyes again. Whenever he was in a bad mood, you paid it no mind and left him be when you could help it. When it happened, he became sulky and broody but he never physically lashed out at you. If he did bicker with you, it was always verbally. The occasional squabble wasn't uncommon between the two of you but it never got nasty or particularly elevated. Most of the fights were merely disagreements about trivial things and the both of you would drop it before it could possibly go above and beyond. When the hostility was ceased, you tended to drop it and forget about it entirely as he did.

"I'm going to clean your face up, is that alright?" you asked.

Cell only nodded his head, granting you permission.

Gingerly, you set the rag on his cheek and began to dab along his flesh. You could see him wince slightly but as the motion persisted, he relaxed again. Subtly, you could see and sense him settle at the touch of the rag. The warmth and moisture it gave off coerced him to be at ease and you continued with the gentle scrubbing and cleaning.

His whole face was covered in a thin film of grime and once that was gone, his pale skin seemed somewhat brighter. His violet cheeks looked a little livelier but you could tell he was quite drained and his color was still a bit lackluster.

Once you were finished with his face, you moved onto his crest and the black bio-gem that encased his brain. With the same amount of diligence and tenderness, you continued to clean him. He remained quiet and his eyes were still shut. Cell remained cooperative and immobile as you worked and you were rather happy that he was being so quiet for the moment. He truly did need the rest and relaxation.

A few minutes went by and you started to resume work on the rest of him. You started around his upper torso and his face and would work your way down his frame from there. You ignored his back since that wasn't exposed and you weren't going to make him roll over to get that area. Whenever he rested a little and got some of his strength back, you'd urge him to take a shower.

By the time you got down to his thighs, you paused once you heard him snoring softly. You snickered at this discovery and you decided to cease the cleaning while he was sleeping. You had no desire to disturb him while he was slumbering. Cell could go without sleeping for some time but if he exerted himself substantially, he often needed that or food to restore his energy.

You grabbed a blanket that was folded up across the top of the couch and spread it across his shape. Almost as soon as the blanket came in contact with him, Cell grasped onto it and seemingly cocooned himself up in it. He got comfortable and then promptly resumed his snoring once more.

"Sweet dreams, Sleeping Beauty," you whispered teasingly.

For now, you'd let him sleep for as long as possible. It was already getting later in the afternoon and sunset was due in another two hours. You'd let him rest undisturbed. Yet you had a surprise for him when he'd wake up the next day. Or so you hoped.

(…)

His senses were already highly keen and attuned but what woke him up was an overpowering and utterly delicious smell. Cell was surprised that the aroma didn't wake him up far earlier. In fact, his nose was what stirred him once it caught a whiff of that odor. It was a very familiar smell and already, Cell was salivating.

He sat up and let out a small, pained groan. His whole frame was stiff but he already felt much better than he did earlier. His eyes darted to the clock hanging on the opposite side of the living room. It was seven o'clock at night.

The bio-android looked around the room, seeing no sign of you. When he saw you weren't in the immediate area, he decided to try to sense your ki. It took him no time at all to detect you and he could tell you were in the backyard. In fact, you were coming from the same vicinity where that wondrous aroma was originating from.

Like a heat seeking missile, he locked onto you and left the comfort of the couch. He crossed his way through the living room and made it over to the sliding screen door on the far side of the adjacent dining room. He peered through the screen and quickly caught sight of you.

On the patio, he could see you working away at the grill. The picnic table beside the grill had a few plates filled with burgers, steaks, grilled chicken, pork chops, ribs and a rather large piece of salmon.

A large smile came across his face as he remembered that was one of the reasons why he married you. You were quite the grill master and he thoroughly enjoyed the way you cooked his preferred food. Any normal person probably would've succumbed to a heart attack if they shared his carnivorous diet but luckily none of that food went to waste and was all converted to energy for his body to use.

As soon as you heard the screen door open up, you knew he was awake. You grinned as you realized he was finally out and about and you turned to face him.

"'Bout time, slacker," you said playfully. "You've been out for over twenty four hours. I had a feeling the smell of this smorgasbord would wake you up."

"You've really outdone yourself," he noted, still in amazement of the feast that was before him.

"I figured you deserved it. You need your energy and I know your metabolism is off the charts. I just finished cooking everything too, help yourself."

Cell eyed you curiously for a few seconds, wondering if you really meant it. When you smirked at him and nodded your head, he needed no further invitation. In a flash, he snatched up some ribs and began to greedily consume it. They were still rather hot but he paid no mind to it.

You had to admit, watching him eat was like staring at a train wreck; you couldn't look away. He made short work of his meals and he wasn't above consuming cartilage and bone if he was hungry enough too. Once you cooked a nicely sized, roasted chicken that was meant to be shared between the both of you. Cell devoured the whole bird in only a few minutes. You were understandably pissed you couldn't even lay a finger on it but then again, you didn't want to lose one in the process. You ended up eating all the sides and rolls that night.

Now you fully understood Chi-Chi and Bulma's woes whenever it came down to dining with their Saiyan husbands. Cell got it honest and his appetite matched their own perfectly. Luckily for you, Cell often hunted for his own food so you wouldn't make too many trips to the grocery store too often. You were pretty grateful that he was mindful of your bank account. If you had to go to the store and buy food for him constantly, you were pretty sure you'd be begging your mother and father to move back in with them since you wouldn't be able to afford your own bills anymore.

The ribs he selected were stripped clean of the meat within no time at all and he tossed the polished bones onto the respective plate. Far from satisfied, the bio-android then settled on some steaks. His wings twitched and he hummed in delight as they were cooked to rare just as he preferred.

While he feasted, you took any empty plates and set them in the sink. Already, you knew you'd have some fun washing all these dishes. But you didn't mind doing it since it was a labor of love for him. You only hoped he'd be filled and appeased concluding his feast.

Some time went by but he ended up consuming every single bit of food you prepared for him. He even resorted to licking his fingers, being sure to get any residual juice. The bio-android looked rather happy in the aftermath of his gargantuan meal. Seeing this relieved you and made you believe all was well.

"I'm surprised you can't unhinge your jaw and just eat it all like some snake," you noted. "I guess it was good and it filled you up?"

"Everything was cooked wonderfully as always," he said. He was grinning away and his behavior was a marked, obvious difference from yesterday. "But I'm still not completely full."

Your mouth dropped slightly. There was nothing else to feed him and he was saying he wasn't satisfied completely? You were definitely out of luck and you wouldn't make it to the grocery store in enough time to find something else to cook. At this point, you saw you'd have to tell him he'd have to settle on hunting for himself if he had recovered enough energy and strength.

When he saw your dismayed expression, Cell laughed loudly. He extended an arm and wrapped it around your waist, drawing you to his side. Once you were close enough, he gently pinned you to his frame.

"Just kidding," he confessed.

"You're such a dick," you muttered, somewhat annoyed and relieved at the same time that he was only teasing you as he was accustomed to doing so.

"But here you are." He lowered his head down, bringing his face closer to yours. "You've prepared this marvelous meal for me, my dear. You've gone above and beyond for a wretch like me. Thank you."

Cell pressed a kiss to your lips. A blissful sigh came from him and he steadily ran his fingers through your hair. Then he rested the side of his head atop your crown and inhaled softly, taking in your scent.

While he could be rather confrontational, aggressive and arrogant with the Z-Fighters at times, you knew he wasn't like that when he was with you. In front of them, he tried to appear to be as stony and invulnerable as he could but with you, he vented his frustrations and shared his innermost thoughts with you. When you were at his side, he softened up considerably and he was actually quite affectionate. You could tell that tenderness and romance was still somewhat of an awkward concept to him and that he was unsure of it but you were patient and understanding with him. There were times when he left bouquets of wildflowers for you when you woke up in the morning when he was absent due to training or tending to some other business. Little gestures like that made you blush like a schoolgirl and that was more than acceptable in your book.

You tried to encourage him to ease up a bit when he was around his allies. Cell argued the contrary, explaining to you that he couldn't afford to show them any weakness. He claimed he would be teased and wouldn't be taken seriously. When you tried to remind him that Krillin, Goku and Vegeta were married and clearly showed love for their wives, he dismissed it and wouldn't discuss the matter further.

He told you that he loved you only once. That happened the night after you were married. While he only expressed his love verbally that one time, you knew he still cared for you. The way he looked at you, the way he smiled at you and even the ways he teased you reminded you how he really felt about you. His actions spoke loudly and clearly. You knew that if he ever fell out of love, you'd know it at that point too. There was no doubt in you over whether he loved you or not.

"I'm glad I could help you out a bit," you said.

"You put up with me and that's quite the feat alone," he joked. "The food has done its job well and I feel replenished already. I needed that boost but I suppose I still must rest a little. Otherwise, you will be quite peeved."

"You guessed right."

Cell clicked his tongue and chuckled.

"Oh, what a taskmaster you are," he said. "But since you've insisted I rest, rest I will. Once I've done that for a few days, I'll train even more and I'll be sure to repay the favor to Goku."

"Thank you." Legitimately, you felt relief that he was giving in to your urgings. You felt that if he did take a break, it'd serve to help him. It'd clear his head and give him a chance to reinvigorate himself before resuming his duties as a warrior. "I feel better knowing you're going to do this."

"Of course. I can do that for you since you asked about it repeatedly." He let out a small sigh. "You've been in my corner from the beginning, haven't you? I guess I have to be pretty thankful for that. You're the only one who rooted for me and gave me some comfort and relief when I needed it though even I didn't realize it. I still have a hard time accepting the fact someone actually cares about me."

"It's okay. Your defenses can remain down with me and you know that. You know that's what I'm here for. You don't have to worry about being judged or being seen as weak. You know exactly what I think about you."

You could tell he was about to say something but he shook his head. Whatever words he had on the tip of his tongue disappeared. Cell remained quiet and only kept you close to him. The warmth of your body and the familiarity of your scent and presence proved soothing enough to him.

You stayed with him, letting him know that you weren't going anywhere anytime soon.


End file.
